Ninjago: Hermetic
by SupeyNinjaZora19
Summary: 'You put a flame in an airtight container, the flame will flicker and fade- I'm the flame; I'm dying.' During the years of the Great Serpentine War, Ray finds himself captured by the Serpentine and trapped inside of an airtight prison. As air is depleting hour after hour, so does his hope. Warnings inside. CH1: Ray's POV. CH2: Maya's Terra's POV.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Ninjago. Terra Brookstone, my character as Cole's Mother, is an original character.**

 **Summary:** _'You put a flame in an airtight container, the flame will flicker and fade- I'm the flame; I'm dying.'_ During the years of the Great Serpentine War, Ray finds himself captured by the Serpentine and trapped inside of an airtight prison. As air is depleting hour after hour, so does his hope. Warnings inside.

 **Warnings: Brief character death, and foul language. This story has been altered from the original OT3EM of Ray, Maya, and Terra to one of platonic OT3EM, though Ray and Maya are heavily suggested.**

* * *

 **[Hermetic]**

As Ray regained consciousness, the first thing he came to realize was that there was a dry, thick cloth that had been painfully stuffed into his mouth. Wrapped around his mouth and tied at the back of his head was a strip of fabric that kept the cloth firmly in place, effectively gagging him into silence. With the possibility of the cloth getting lodged into the back of his throat with his struggling, Ray knew that he had to be cautious. It was already hard to breathe, and the cloth made it even more difficult. Ray gritted his teeth, biting the fabric as hard as he could to tear it, but nothing he did worked.

The next thing he came to realize was just how tightly bounded his body was. Rope forced him into a tight ball with his knees pressed against his chest, restricting his limbs painfully from making any sort of movement. His hands were bound together behind his back and were radiating with pain. Numbed fingers indicated that several of them were broken, perhaps to limit the use of his powers. Ray tried to move his body but found his limbs sore and hard to move, as he had been forced into perhaps the smallest he could possibly be.

 _'That's gonna feel sore later,'_ Ray thought to himself, wincing at how a headache was already hurting him. He opened his eyes and was startled to see pure darkness. It took him a few seconds to realize that his darkened vision was caused by a black blindfold. Anger mixed with panic swelled in his chest with the added hindrance. _'Well shit. Bounded, blinded, and gagged... Not how I planned on spending my Saturday night.'_

Ray stopped moving and took in a shallow breath through his nose. He already figured out that he was within enemy territory, as there was no way he'd be treated this way in any other part of Ninjago. Reaching into the depths of his memory, he found it extremely difficult to remember his last moments before his capture.

Memories came in snippets. He could recall being in a small village on the far outskirts of Ninjago near the sea, which he remembered, as being near the water made him uncomfortable. The village had called for an Elemental Master to be on standby as there had been a spike in Serpentine activity in the surrounding area, so away Ray was sent to keep the people comfortable. He had been on relatively good terms with them, as they often offered him food and talked with him whenever he walked around.

It truly didn't feel like a mission, just more so of a little time away from the craziness of the city. He kept on guard, still carried his weapons around, and still stayed up late into the night and woke up early in the morning to keep patrolling the surrounding area. In between his patrols there, he would converse with the people, aid the elderly with their groceries, and even check out a few of the blacksmith shops to offer a bit of his own advice. While Ray kept the situation as light and kept the people as happy as he could, he remained serious and on task, always fully aware of his responsibilities.

Ray took in a slow breath through his nose and did his best to move. He could hardly squirm with how tight the rope was around his body. His muscles strained against the thick rope as he flexed his limbs as best as he could.

Memories of the town being swarmed by Serpentine in the middle of the night flashed into mind. He had done his best to defend the village on his own - he had taken down a significant amount of Serpentine all on his own and had been able to allow the people to escape - however, he was eventually overwhelmed during the battle. Ray couldn't remember much, but he remembered being held down at one point and then struck harshly in the head. He pinned the ache of his headache to that injury.

 _'I don't remember anything after, I don't even know how long I've been here… I had been the only Elemental Master out there,'_ Ray thought to himself. _'No one else was captured with me, Elemental Master wise… That's good. The Masters will realize that I've been taken by the end of the week if I don't report in, that or the villagers might be able to get in contact with Wu and them. They'll come and find me. Or they'll think I'm dead and come look for a dead body they won't find. Maybe they'll just think I'm dead and won't come to find me and I'll be stuck here to rot and die-'_

He hardly noticed his breathing starting to speed up and only noticed when the pricking of tears at his eyes caught his attention. Ray immediately tried to slow his breathing, taking deep, slow breaths to calm himself down.

 _'Just relax Ray, you know how Terra and Maya are, they won't just leave you all alone like this… Everyone knows that I'm strong enough to handle my own, and that of all things, I'd be captured and alive…'_ His breathing started to slow back to normal. _'Here, just try to keep your breathing slow Ray, oxygen might be low. You don't know if you're in a closed-off box. Let's find that out, actually.'_

Ray took in a deep breath and tried to move. His body rocked a little and, with great effort, he had managed to successfully roll himself onto his side. He felt victorious for a moment before feeling crushed at the realization that it would be harder to move.

 _'Shit- Alright, no problem, I can still work with this, I can totally do this...'_ Ray gave his head a small shake, mentally facepalming before growing serious.

He knew that he wouldn't be able to feel the walls to check the size of the room. Hesitating for a moment, he tried to move his fingers to see which ones were broken. As he was hoping, his thumb and middle finger weren't broken on his right hand. Slowing down his breathing to the point where he could hardly hear himself, he snapped his fingers.

He did it once.

Twice.

A third time to make sure, and then stopped.

 _'Small room,'_ He concluded. _'The sound's echoing off the walls relatively quick… It's not too big of a room, and the ceiling seems to be low with how the sound's traveling. The fact that a snap even sounds so loud definitely goes to show how little of a place I'm in,'_

Ray took in another deep breath and focused on his hearing. He slowed his breathing once more and listened for any sounds of ventilation, such as a vent or a window. He was desperate to find out if there was a source of oxygen coming from _somewhere_. There wasn't a sound of any outside noise from outside of the apparently confined room he was in. Pressing his cheek against the cool metal floor, he couldn't feel any vibrations of perhaps people walking around or any bustling cars nearby. The fact that he was in a metal container made him feel nauseous that perhaps he wasn't underground as he had previously thought.

 _'I have no clue where the Serpentine even have me at.'_ Ray took in a slow breath, trying desperately to stop his body from shaking as he didn't want to get himself worked up. Slowly but surely, he was able to get himself to stop shaking. Once more, he squirmed his body to try and figure out how small the room was. When his foot collided with a wall, Ray stopped. Slowly, he used his foot to help twist his body. He was startled to feel just how soon his foot struck a corner. Concern blossomed in his chest as he continued to move his body using his feet with the wall, simply praying that he wasn't in such a small room.

He felt stricken when he felt another wall so soon. Ray laid his head on the floor and let out a huff through his nose.

 _'Too small, this is too small…'_ Ray shook and this time let his tears form and fall, immediately soaking the blindfold. _'I shouldn't worry, I know the others are coming for me, I've just never been a big fan of small spaces…'_

Ray fidgeted and tried to move his body more. His muscles were already burning and aching from the lack of movement. There wasn't anything for him to do other than allow himself to squirm the smallest amount that he could.

 _'I can't stand this either, I love being able to move, this is torture...'_ He shifted a little before stopping. _'Think about this, Ray; when you get out, you can run and kick the asses of the Serpentine who trapped you. It'll be all good, just try to relax…'_

He took slow breaths to calm himself down, but his anxiety lingered.

 _'Just be chill… I know that's not really my thing, but just… Just chill Ray, you'll be okay…'_ Pressing his forehead onto the cool floor, he felt himself starting to doze off. _'They'll get you soon enough…'_

Thankfully, he had fallen asleep at some point. However, blissful slumber didn't last for long.

When he woke up, it sadly wasn't to the sound of a door opening or someone's voice telling him to stand up, but instead was to his muscles screaming in pain at the lack of movement. Ray groaned and squirmed, trying to relieve his muscles of the strain they were forced into. Nothing he did could soothe it, so he knew that he would be in pain for a while longer.

Ray took note of several differences, such as that he felt hot yet clammy, and that his headache that had been barely a pang of pain was much worse. He moaned and squeezed his eyes shut, taking in deep breaths before he corrected himself.

 _'Slow, shallow breaths Ray, remember that,'_ He told himself. _'You got limited air, deep and fast breaths will fuck you up. Just try and relax, just relax…'_

 _'Remember, the others will be here for you soon, just keep on hanging in there… Just think about how when the others come for you, you're gonna get the biggest burger you can- God, food sounds so great right now. Double bacon cheeseburger with lettuce, cheese, tomato- God that sounds delicious. Need me some food with a large side of fries and a Coke- Oh yes, I'm so getting that.'_

 _'I wonder how the others are doing, hopefully, none of them are in a situation like I am. Man, I'm pretty bummed that I'm the damsel in distress yet again… Nothing's really changed I guess… I always was the more reckless and more likely one to cause trouble, Garmadon and Terra always told me that, always said it out of amusement, but I always was able to tell how their undertones were. They worried, and I always told them not to… Geez, I could already hear the exasperated 'I told you so.''_

 _'Man… I wonder if they're looking for me, I hope so. Though they're probably busy, I can't entirely blame them, everyone's had their hands full with missions.'_ Ray squirmed a bit more and tried to soothe the pain of a cramp in his leg. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to distract himself. _'Maybe instead of a burger, I'll ask Terra to make me something. I love her cooking- Honestly, I'd kill a man for a slice of her chocolate cake. Like, fuck me up? Yes? Yes. Oh man I just keep thinking of it and I'm dying for a slice- Okay- Different kind of dying- Change the subject Ray-'_

 _'Wow, I wonder how long I've been here... Time really seems to drag on when you're bounded up and kept inside of a really small cell, I feel like it's been years…'_ Ray shifted as much as he could before he let out a soft sigh through his nose. Sadness settled over him.

 _'I… I wonder how Maya's doing… I miss her a lot. I didn't get to speak with her much since I left… Shit, I don't even remember the last thing she said- No wait, I do. 'Be careful out there, I won't be able to drag you out of trouble this time, hot head.''_ Tears once more welled up and fell from his eyes. _'That's funny… Please let her come and drag me out of here, let her and Terra come- What even were Terra's last words to me? All I remember is just her giving me a hug and wishing me luck, hah, I remember boasting that I didn't need luck… God, I miss her, I miss them both so much- Shit, what if I do die here? I won't be able to see them- I miss them- Do they even know if I'm missing yet?!'_

 _'Just relax Ray, just relax,'_ Ray tried to calm his racing breaths and found that he was finding it quite difficult. _'How long have I been in here? Just chill and relax, just- Just relax-!'_

His body jerked, and he squirmed as much as he could. The panic he had been fighting back finally snapped, causing him to pull as hard as he could against his binds. Ray let out a muffled scream as his skin got cut into by the ropes, but he didn't care, tugging as hard as he could. His foot met the wall and he kicked at it repeatedly, trying to get rid of the pain he was feeling. A large part of him was tempted to try and use his powers to burn the ropes, but he positive that less carbon dioxide was what he needed. Not only that, but he wasn't sure how the room was designed; possibly creating a fire would not only burn away the oxygen he had left, but he perhaps would be trapped in a room full of smoke with no way out.

Ray let out another loud muffled scream and struggled more, unable to stand being tightly bound up. He bit down hard on the gag, swearing that he could crack a molar with how hard he was biting. He could feel the cloth in his mouth being moved but he didn't care, far too distraught with his own discomfort. Ray let out another scream when he tugged too harshly on the ropes, a distinguishable _pop_ resounding through the room when he settled all of his weight onto his left shoulder. His shoulder screamed in pain when he felt the dislocation occur, and there was nothing he could do to fix it.

 _'GET ME OUT!'_ He sobbed, breathing relatively quick through his nose. He pressed his forehead against the ground, repeatedly hitting it with just enough force to cause a bruise. _'Please, please- I can't stand another hour- I've been in here long enough; I've been alone, confined, gagged, blinded, and there's just- There's no one, it's just me I can't take this-!'_

Ray continued to let himself cry and squirm. His body felt extremely sluggish after lashing out the way he did. The headache he had was pounding, and his breathing was much faster. With how fast he was breathing through his nose, he felt lightheaded, feeling as if he was unable to get the air that he needed.

 _'You put a flame in an airtight container, the flame will flicker and fade- I'm the flame; I'm dying-'_

 _'Distract yourself...'_ Ray whimpered, his head feeling as if it was splitting. He was still finding it difficult to breathe and it felt impossible to even try and stop his tears. _'Just… think. Don't even think, just replay memories.'_

 _'I got lots of memories honestly.'_ He conversed with himself.

 _'Think of warm ones, ones that make you feel fuzzy and good inside, hotshot.'_ A ghost of a smile spread over his face as far as it could go with the gag in the way.

He was able to recall the first time he ever met Maya.

Ray had just been about nineteen years old, not quite as impressive or well-built as he presently was, nor was he as smart. As a high school dropout, he left during his sophomore year to work to support his family by traveling around selling weapons he handcrafted himself. To say the least, he wasn't the best at crafting his weapons just yet, but he didn't have the title of 'Master Blacksmith' for no reason, as he used his fire powers to help tend to his weaponry.

He had been brought to the monastery by both Wu and Garmadon when he was eighteen, so when Maya arrived, he was already training and learning how to tame his fire. Ray could recall the day she had come to the monastery. He had been training at the obstacle course when the double doors to the monastery opened, revealing Wu, who was speaking to a girl about Ray's age.

She had long, dark hair, and utterly captivating, calculating hazel eyes that were primarily blue. Her smile seemed to make his heart race, and for a moment, Ray felt warmth when she laughed at what supposedly was a joke that Wu made. Her cheeks were perfectly rosy, which made a few freckles at the apples of her cheeks stand out.

She turned and looked to him, meeting his eye. His attention had been focused on her that he hardly noticed a part of the rotating course coming for him. It struck him in the back of his knees, causing him to yelp and fall onto his back, his sword clattering to the ground. The course stopped, and he heard footsteps coming towards him. Ray groaned and shut his eyes, opening them when he heard her let out a laugh. He saw the girl leaning over him, smiling out of amusement at his fail.

"Elegant, aren't you? So, you're the Fire Master that Wu's been telling me about… You're clumsier than I thought you'd be."

"Well," Ray laughed nervously, internally screaming at himself as he unable to stop his words from coming out. "I guess you could say I might've fallen for you."

The girl let out a laugh, covering her mouth as she did so. Ray let out a sigh of relief, thankful that he had made her laugh instead of making her disgusted at his statement. He had just met her; He didn't want to give off a wrong first impression or come across as a creep.

"I'm Maya, Water Master." She extended a hand to help him up, which Ray took. Maya's hand, as he expected, was much softer compared to his callused hands. He wasn't too sure what sort of work she did before this, though a part of him felt as if she was just recently out of high school. He wouldn't be surprised, with how intelligent she already seemed to be. "And you would be?"

"Ray, Fire Master- Though, you already knew that last part," Ray laughed, hoping she wouldn't be able to tell how embarrassed he was. If she did, she didn't say anything about it and just offered him a smile, which yet again made his heart skip a beat. "S-so what brings you this part of town? It's not often someone climbs all of these stairs to get up here."

"I discovered my abilities a while back," Maya explained, sending a glance towards Wu, who was heading over to them. "And I was informed that Wu was gathering up Elemental Masters to help with the Serpentine attacks. He got in touch with me, letting me know about it, luckily after my graduation. And so, now I'm here. How about you? What did you do before this?"

"Well, I met Wu when I was just starting my first year of college-"

"Liar," Wu coughed into a closed fist, looking away from them both. "Found you sitting on a curb."

"Shut up!" Ray hissed before he resumed speaking to Maya. "I was sitting on the curb, just waiting there to get on the bus to go to my first day of college."

"Liar. You wouldn't be taking a bag full of weapons with you to college."

"You're an asshole," Ray mumbled before glancing to Maya, who seemed a bit amused yet confused by the conversation. Ray sighed and figured that there wasn't a point in lying anymore. "I uh… I didn't actually finish high school, so college? I didn't do that- I uh… I went to help my family make some money- I'm not embarrassed, I'm happy to have helped them - and I realized that I had a knack for making weapons, so I went and forged some, and sold them since Serpentine activity was rising. I made quite a bit of money doing that, and that's how this asshole found me."

"He tried to convince me that buying one of his weapons would've been better than sticking with the sword I had with me that day," Wu expanded. "He tried examining my sword and everything. He even wanted to fight me just to prove how good his weapons were."

"Were they any good?" Maya asked, noting how Ray's face was glowing red.

"I shattered his sword with mine upon impact."

"That one was faulty!" Ray exclaimed, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I wonder just how many of your swords are faulty, Ray." Wu huffed out a laugh.

"Not many! I wouldn't be called a 'Master Blacksmith' for nothing!"

"Who even coined you that title? I'd like to meet them and excessively question them."

"Why are you like this- Why do you intend on making my life a living hell?"

"You know you're my greatest friend, don't take my teasing to heart," Wu rolled his eyes and lightly smacked Ray's arm, causing the other to roll his eyes.

"More like I'm your _only_ friend, asshole," Maya's laugh caught their attention. They both looked over to her and Ray raised an eyebrow. "What? Are you taking joy in my suffering too?"

"Well, no," Maya chuckled before smiling, her features softening as she appeared to be much more genuine. "I was a bit nervous coming here, but… If you two are any indication of how my time here will go, I think I'll do well here."

Both Ray and Wu exchanged smiles before looking back to Maya. Ray nodded his head.

"I think you'll do well here too, Maya," Ray smiled, his amber eyes meeting her blue. He winked. "And if you need any help, don't hesitate to let me know. I got your back."

"Thanks, but I'm good. We all saw how you failed on the training course a few moments ago; I think I'll go to someone else for help," She offered him a wink. "Thanks though, hotshot."

And with that, she swiftly turned and headed to the building, entering straight into the kitchen. As soon as the door shut, Wu let out a loud laugh as Ray's face burned.

"I had a feeling she'd fit in perfectly." Wu grinned and patted Ray's shoulder before following Maya. Ray stared at the door she entered through. The embarrassment and pain he had felt immediately faded away. He couldn't help but smile as he thought of the way her hair bounced and how her hips swayed as she walked away.

 _"Thanks though, hotshot."_

"I think she'll definitely fit in…" He had grinned.

Nearly two months later, another individual had shown up at the monastery.

Ray had just been waking up from a desperately needed nap. When he walked out of the monastery, that's when he saw her training on the course, wielding the hammer he had forged weeks before. He watched in utter amazement as she wielded the weapon, swinging it single-handedly and switching to both hands when the moment called for it. Her dark hair was tied back in a braid, and her green eyes were sharp and focused. Even from a great distance away from her, he knew she was much taller and bigger than he was. Biceps were visible as her sleeveless gi revealed her muscular arms, and abs were easily seen as her gi seemed to be tight around her torso, perhaps from Wu misjudging her size.

 _'Well...'_ Ray sucked in a deep breath and looked away. _'She could literally kill me, and I don't think I'd be mad.'_

"Ah, Ray! You're just in time," Garmadon said, looking pleased and slightly relieved. "We want her to spar against someone. Would you be able to-"

"More than happy to," Ray grinned. The woman looked over to him and she set down her hammer, looking quite curious in him. He beamed at her. "The name's Ray, Fire Master, at your service. And you would be?"

"Terra, Master of Earth," She gave him a grin, leaning against the handle of the hammer.

"Terra huh? Well, Terra, welcome to the monastery, it's nice to meet you. How do you like your hammer? It was made by yours truly." Ray offered her a wink, which caused her to roll her eyes.

"It's very well made, thank you for it."

"No problem, no problem. Just promise not to snap my back with it… Although, I shouldn't have to worry about that. Some may say that I'm the best fighter here." Ray puffed out his chest proudly. He could hear Garmadon let out a laugh while Wu exclaimed that 'No one here says that,' to which Ray promptly ignored. "Just give it your all and do the best you can!"

Terra seemed to be exhilarated at the idea of a challenge. She picked up her hammer and set it off to the side before getting back to the cleared spot as the training equipment had gone away. She stood across from Ray and got into her stance. Immediately, Ray was alarmed. He knew that she had some form of fighting experience, as she seemed to be comfortable and ready to fight, unlike how Maya had been at the start. He glanced to her feet, noting how she stood on the tips of her toes, ready to leap forward and move quickly. Ray's eyes narrowed, and he slipped into his stance, bending his knees and bringing closed fists up to his chin, bouncing a little.

"Ready when you are," He spoke. "I'll let you make the first mo-"

Terra shot out towards him, jabbing out a fist at Ray. He hadn't been expecting her to be so quick for someone of her height, but he was faster, easily able to dodge the attack. He ducked under the punch and pivoted to her right, twisting his torso as he shot out with his right fist to strike her side. He was startled when she suddenly grabbed onto his arm and turned, using his speed against him by sending him flying across the floor. He wheezed as he landed on his back before he sprang back up to his feet, darting towards her, hopping in zig-zags to confuse her in just what direction he would be striking in.

Feigning an attack to the left, he sprang up to her right and delivered a swift kick to her abdomen, his leg unable to get any higher due to her height. He gritted his teeth and quickly dropped to the floor, using his arms to support him as he swung his legs to take out hers. He kicked hard but was startled that, even with a blow to the back of her knees, she didn't fall.

Terra loomed over him, her form blocking the sun and casting a long shadow. A grin spread over her face, freezing Ray with terror over what she would do.

"Oh god-" Her foot was placed on his chest and Ray was sent skidding across the hard flooring. He could feel the ground scratching up his back and his shoulders, leaving a few bleeding cuts, but he did his best to ignore the pain that followed. He did a kick-up to his feet and wheezed, panting as he got back into his stance. He could feel his fire flaring up inside of him, giving him a greater desire to beat her.

Ray glared at her before charging once more. Terra sprinted forward and reared back for another punch. Ray leaped at her, once again dodging her punch. He snaked around her quickly and ended up behind her. Immediately, he leaped onto her back and wrapped an arm around her neck. He added pressure, but before he could lock his hold on her, she reached up and grabbed onto the cloth of his training gi. Ray felt himself get thrown into a different reality as Terra simply threw him straight into the floor below as if he was a rag doll. His head smacked into the ground and his vision blurred. With the wind knocked out of him, leaving him gasping for air, Terra's smug expression shifted into one of concern.

"Y-yeah, no more…" He wheezed out and shut his eyes. "Mm, ow... I… I think if anyone… Deserves the title of b-best fighter here, it's you…"

"Now, I suppose that's something we can both agree on," Terra knelt, and Ray suddenly found himself on his feet. He was startled by her strength and how easily she seemed to be able to pick him up. He figured that perhaps her element played a role in her strength, which didn't have Ray surprised. Against his will, he let her help him to a bench. Once there, Wu handed them both a cold water bottle.

Ray glared weakly at him.

"You set me up, you wanted to see me get my ass kicked," He huffed out and took a sip from his water.

"We really did want someone to spar with her," Wu said. He suddenly grinned. "Fine, we did really, really want you to be that someone- Okay, maybe you were set up, I'll be honest with you."

Ray glared at him before he turned to Terra, giving her a curt smile.

"You're pretty great, Terra. I know you just got here, but you're already a great ally to us. You're gonna get along great here."

She gave him a smile and nodded.

"I hope so, Wu said I'd fit in well."

"Considering how easily you were able to kick my ass, you'll do way more than well."

"That's not much of an achievement," Wu pointed out with a friendly laugh. He looked to Terra. "Perhaps we'll make you go against Maya, so you can see how she fights. I think she's inside- Ray, do you mind getting her? If not, then I can. You do need your rest, after all."

Ray felt a pang of hurt vibrate through his chest. He looked at his water bottle in disinterest and put the cap back on it. Shakily, he stood and headed back inside of the monastery. As soon as he entered, he took in a shuddering breath, finding it difficult to fight back the lump in his throat. His hands shook so harshly that he just laid the water bottle down on the kitchen table, and wordlessly, he headed to the medical area.

To his displeasure, he saw that Maya was in there. He immediately wanted to turn around and leave, but she stopped him by just meeting his eye, her face expressing her concern.

"What's wrong?" She asked, stepping towards him. Ray avoided her gaze.

"Nothing, just got my ass kicked, the usual," Maya let out a soft laugh, which stung him more.

"Don't be a sore loser, Ray. You win some, you lose some." When he didn't respond, Maya looked even more concerned. "This… This is different."

"You're much smarter than I am," Ray blurted out as he stepped into the room. He got to a chair and sat on it, fidgeting slightly. "Like, super smart- I dropped out of high school, I never finished, I can't do math, I can't understand big words, I just nod and pretend like I know them. I try not to be embarrassed about never finishing because I needed to help my family, but sometimes I get upset about it- You're much smarter than I am, you got your education, and all I got was a book on how to make weapons and I did that, somehow managed to not mess it up, and then proceeded to make some faulty weapons. Like Wu had said before, who knows how many of them are faulty? I try not to think about it, but… I don't really have much going for me at all? You're smart, and it shows in basic conversation, in how we act, and how we fight. You analyze, you can read people, you can do so much and I just… Swing a sword…"

He ran a hand through his hair and sighed.

"Even I can't do that right, I can't even swing a fist right- I fought against Terra just now, and like- I'm not the best fighter, but I'm pretty good to be able to hold my own against Wu and Garmadon _at the same time_. Against her? I only got a kick or a punch in, yet here she was, grabbing me and throwing me around like a damn rag doll. That's pathetic on my part, with how much training I have. Not smart, can't fight, I hate vocalizing shit like this, but this is all I really have going for me, and I _suck_ at it. After this war, I'm not intelligent enough to get a good job, and being a blacksmith will have little work in an age of peace. Being honest, I'm either going to die in this war a hero or survive and later die as a nobody."

Ray ran a hand through his dark hair and leave against the back of his seat.

"And fucking Wu- Wu's not making it any fucking better. I always know when to back off when he's down in the dumps, but he never knows when to do it when it becomes too much for me because it _rarely_ becomes too much. I know we pull each other's legs all the time, but he's fucking yanking it and I'm over here bashing my face on the ground. Literally."

Maya opened her mouth to respond when there was a soft knock on the door frame. They both looked over and saw Terra standing there, who looked surprisingly sheepish.

"I didn't mean to overhear, I wanted to make sure your injuries got tended to, but…" She paused for a moment. "There are other ways that one can be intelligent; not everyone has to be book smart. I'm certainly not, and you may not, but you're a different kind. I noticed it right away, which is why I had to be rough, but you focused on your instinct-"

"Oh, calling me animalistic? Nice," Ray muttered. Terra frowned and stepped further into the room.

"I wasn't saying that. What I'm saying is that in battle, you're a force that shouldn't be reckoned with. Your movements were fluid and smooth, unpredictable to me. I've been fighting for years, but against you, I had to be on guard and take up the defensive because I couldn't go offensive when I didn't know what to expect. When you got on my back, I legitimately panicked for a moment; I didn't expect that, and I didn't know how to react, which is why I reacted the way I did… I'm sorry about that, by the way."

"No problem, I just got a cracked vertebra or two." Ray shrugged, his shoulders popping as he did so.

"But the point is Ray, you're definitely intelligent and powerful, even if you may not believe or see it in yourself, the ones around you certainly do," Terra looked at Ray before cracking a smile. "Well, power wise… We could probably get you some more muscle. You're already muscular now, but you can definitely get stronger. I could get you on my workout routine if you'd like."

"I'd appreciate that," Ray spoke earnestly before he offered her a smile. "Though, it may be pointless… I won't be able to get as strong as you, just like how I'll never be able to get to your height."

Terra let out a genuine laugh, which caused his cheeks to reddened slightly.

"Perhaps you'll always be on the shorter side, but I can always help you get stronger, just as Maya can aid you too. I know that we're supposed to be a team together, but a team aids one another in sharpening skills that we may be lacking in, and we're supposed to have each other's backs… I know I just got here, but I want to do that with you both."

Ray eyed Terra for a moment, utterly amazed that, despite having just met him not fifteen minutes prior, she was already talking about having his back and wanting to help him improve. He smiled and looked down, laughing softly.

"I… I wanna have your back too- Both of you," He looked to Maya and gave her a smile. "Sure Terra, you just kicked my ass, but you're right; we're a team now, and we're supposed to have each other's backs. I'll get better to help protect you both."

"I'll do the same," Maya nodded with a smile. She turned serious. "We're going to be fighting a war sooner or later. I don't know how the battle will be- None of us do, but… We're all we have out there. We have to trust and be sharp for one another, and with the time we have now, we have to work on improving ourselves and each other. Iron sharpens iron,"

"Just as we sharpen each other," Ray interrupted. "Partner sharpens partner."

Terra looked to Maya and seemed to be giving her a softened smile. Ray noticed her expression and glanced between the two, feeling his heart swell with pride.

With the two of them, things felt right, and everything felt as if things would improve. While Ray had doubts and weaknesses, he knew that the others did too. While being strong for them to aid in them improving for their impending battle, they were strong for him and helped him prepare.

With them, he felt safe, supported, and most importantly - Loved.

In the present day, Ray felt none of that.

He didn't feel safe.

He didn't feel support.

He didn't feel loved.

Hours ticked on by, and with every hour, it became much more difficult to stay conscious. He could hardly keep himself distracted with memories and eventually just stopped thinking to focus on breathing, which was becoming increasingly harder to do. His breathing had sped up considerably and he felt as if he couldn't catch his breath. As he continued to grow lightheaded, his head pounded with an intense headache that grew worse with each breath. His muscles had once screamed at him to move, but with how long he's been bounded up, he no longer felt pain, which he knew wasn't a good thing. His body was shutting down and numbing itself; he was far gone already.

Several times, he'd feel as if he was choking and would try to cough, finding it hard to clear his throat. The cloth in his mouth was aggravating, and no matter what he did to try and move it to the front of his mouth, it consistently felt as if it was slipping down his throat.

And so, Ray laid on his side, taking in harsh breaths through his nose, occasionally coughing as the cloth moved. The entire time he laid there, he cried, soaking the blindfold with his tears until he couldn't cry anymore.

He couldn't help but imagine Terra's and Maya's tender touches, their soothing tones whenever he found himself doubtful, and their lips when they'd kiss him, whether it was on the forehead, cheek, or on the lips. Terra herself was quite fond of platonic forehead kisses, which Ray found extremely comforting, while Maya would often pepper his cheeks with kisses. He imagined them there in his final moments comforting him, gently reassuring him that his passing would be done in peace. He imagined them saying that they loved him, that they never stopped looking for him, that he did the best he could to protect the village, and that, no matter what happened, they'd keep him in their hearts even after his passing.

Eventually, he found himself even unable to imagine their faces, as breathing became incredibly difficult. The air felt heavy and warm, almost making him lightheaded with every breath. He was coughing after almost every breath, feeling as if he was choking and suffocating. He knew that there was far too much carbon dioxide in the room.

He tried to cling to consciousness, but his body was so heavy and tired. He found that he couldn't quite move anymore. Ray gasped weakly, struggling to draw in even the slightest breath. His body jerked as his chest fluttered, his lungs working sluggishly to try and get the air he desperately needed. His heart burned as it seemed to grow slower, and slower… And slower… And slower…

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His inhale sounded as rattled like an old jet's engine. His body seized harshly as his chest arched up against a pair of hands pressing down on it. Still fingers came to life and flexed. Behind shut lids, Ray's eyes scrunched up and a few tears fell as his breaths came in as choked sputters and desperate gasps. He coughed weakly, finding great difficulty in getting the oxygen he had been deprived of. His lungs felt like they were on fire and his ribs and chest felt much worse.

Ray was rolled onto his side and he continued to cough and gasp weakly. Someone combed trembling fingers through his hair while another hand rubbed soothing circles into his back, shakily patting his back to help him get his bearings.

He laid there, just gasping and coughing for air for what felt like hours. He realized at that moment that he was no longer bounded up but was thankfully laid flat out. However, he couldn't feel just how sore his body was; whether that was good or bad, he couldn't tell but was thankful he wasn't in any pain. However, he felt incredibly cold.

It was also in that moment when he heard the muffled crying and choked up voices of the two women he loved with all of his heart. A pair of once softened hands suddenly held his face and a pair of lips peppered his face with kisses, whispering words of comfort between each one. They pulled away and Ray took in deeper breaths once they were gone.

"I-I know you can't talk," Ray frowned when he heard just how choked up Terra was as her hand slid into his damaged one. He knew by her tone that she was struggling to keep herself together. Immediately, he wanted to try and speak to her to reassure her that he was okay, but instead coughed so hard he felt as if he was going to pass out. He just continued to breathe. "But squeeze my hand if it's okay to move you-"

"G-give him a moment, he's still so weak-"

"We gotta move him, Maya, their reinforcements will be coming much faster than ours. We only got here in time because we strayed ahead of them."

"B-barely got here in time…" Maya's voice grew soft and she started running her fingers through his hair once more. The gesture was incredibly soothing and helped him stay calm to regulate his breathing. As much as Ray wanted to stay there and not move a muscle, even in his half-conscious state, the desire to protect Terra and Maya over himself was far stronger than anything else. Ray was far too weak to squeeze her hand completely, so he just curled his pinkie into her palm with the little strength he had, gently pressing his nail into her skin.

"Ray…" Her voice trembled. She let go before reaching out, gently holding his face in between her hands. Her warmth against his cold skin caused him to shiver and cough weakly. He wanted to open his eyes and reassure them both that he was okay, but with his lungs feeling like deflated balloons, the only thing he had the strength for was breathing.

Maya's hands pulled away from his hair, causing Ray to whimper at the loss of warmth. Maya made a soft noise as she went to go back to his side, but Terra perhaps shook her head, causing Maya to stop. Gingerly, her arms went underneath Ray's body and she picked him up. Despite how gentle she had been, the sudden, intense pain overloaded his already fragile body. He let out a pained wheeze before falling limp.

The next time Ray opened his eyes, he found that he was squinting at the white panels of a hospital room. He could hear the slow, steady sound of a heart monitor that he realized was connected to him. For a long moment, he just listened to the beeping and allowed the mask on his face to feed him oxygen. There wasn't any pain in his body, so he knew for sure that he was loaded up with drugs. However, even with the drug cocktail numbing most of his body, he recognized the warmth of a hand in his.

Glancing over to his left, he saw Maya in a chair, leaning against the upper half of her body on the bed, fast asleep as she held his hand. She could see tear stains on her cheeks and he felt a pang of pain go through his chest.

 _'I hate it when she and Terra cry… I can't stand it...'_ He tried to speak, but the oxygen mask got in the way. With clumsy and bandaged fingers, Ray used his other hand to fumble to get the mask off. Once he did, he found himself wheezing for breath and heard his heart monitor raise a pitch, squeaking loudly. Terra suddenly slid into the room, looking extremely panicked as she carried two cups of coffee that sloshed onto the floor.

When her eyes landed on Ray, fully conscious and giving her a little wave with his hand, her entire body shook.

"R-Ray..." She whispered, quickly setting the cups down to go over to him. He smiled shakily and went to speak when she suddenly placed the mask back over his nose and mouth. He frowned at her and reached up to take it off.

"O-off..."

"No, keep it on."

"Please?" Terra seemed to hesitate at that before she shook her head once more. "Come on, it's uncomfy, d-don't torture me more-"

"You died, Ray, keep it on." She snapped, her tone harsh.

Ray shut his eyes for a moment, being unable to recall how his last moments of consciousness were. That explained a few things. His memories were rather hazy. He looked to Terra and watched as she shifted, hesitating before she continued, almost reading his mind.

"I don't know how much you remember, but you died. Legally, you were dead for about three minutes and a half, perhaps longer when we got there… Maya found you first- I was in the hall fighting and- I heard her scream, I've… I've never heard someone _scream_ like that before, and- I… I ran in, thinking she was being attacked, but no- I saw her pulling you into her arms, shaking as she cut at the ropes, slapping your face, trying to rouse you awake, but nothing she did could do it, and the moment-... The moment she realized she was holding your dead body-..." Her eyes shut, and she took in a deep breath. She took a moment before continuing. "I swear, she was so vulnerable and hurt and distraught, I just- She wasn't stable enough to help you, she just kept trying to wake you up, but it wasn't working and- God, you were so _gray and cold and_ -"

"Hey hey hey," Ray soothed, reaching out and taking her hand when she started to get worked up. He gave her hand a comforting squeeze, one that was much, much stronger than it had been before. "Relax, take a deep breath, Terra. I'm alive, I'm here, and it's thanks to you two."

"Y-your life was in my hands..." Terra whispered. She looked down, her shoulders trembling with the strain of holding back her emotions. "It was terrifying… You were dead, Maya was crying, and I-... I almost felt like I was the one who wasn't breathing, I was- I've been through so much, but that was the hardest thing I've had to go through, you being here still doesn't feel real…"

Ray's gaze softened at her and he reached out, gently holding her hand. He pressed it to his chest, watching as her eyes slipped shut. Along with the steady beep of his heart monitor, she could feel his heart beating. It was because of her that it was beating again in the first place.

"This is real, I'm alive, Terra," She trembled before she wrapped her arms around him gently, still being mindful of his fragile body. Ray used his shoulder to move the oxygen mask away from his face and uncovered his face. He leaned down, gently pressing a kiss to the top of Terra's head, just as she had often done to him. "I'm okay, I'm alive… I know that had to have been scary, but it's okay now, Terra. I promise I won't go off and let myself get captured again, don't worry."

Terra was quiet for a moment and just quietly nodded.

"How did they even get you? You're… You're usually one to be on guard."

Ray huffed out a laugh and took in a deep breath.

"Nah, they just got me. I got overwhelmed. They ganged up on me and knocked me out. It sucked, but hey, could've been worse."

"You died, what could be worse than dying?"

"Pft, I dunno, torture?" Ray let out a weak laugh, wincing at how expanding his chest that far hurt. He knew that he perhaps had a few broken ribs from the chest compressions Terra had done. "…How'd you guys even find me?"

"The Serpentine decided to do a tradeoff. Wu and Garmadon for your return. They would give you to us if we did it, but we were able to find their base before it came to that," Terra's eyes seemed to gleam with anger for a moment before she calmed down. "It was obvious to tell that they had no intention of giving you to us alive…"

Ray was silent for a few seconds as he processed that. He knew just how important Wu and Garmadon were to the cause; To lose them would be to lose their kingpin. Ray was aware of how little importance he was compared to them, yet he was still touched by them going out of their way to track and find his location. He was already thinking of getting them some sort of thank you card, one that had a little pop-up character that would sing a little tune. Wu hated those, so Ray knew it would be perfect.

Letting out a shaky breath, Ray shut his eyes.

"I'll be sure to thank the siblings for helping me out," Ray trembled. "I… I still can't believe I actually, you know… Died… I uh… That's gonna take me a while to get over- That and the whole- You know- Getting tied up… A-and stuff- Th-that really fucked me up..."

"As I said, this still feels hard to believe," Terra admitted as she glanced down. Her hands shook for a moment before becoming still. "It'll take time for you to recover, but don't worry, you'll heal soon; Maya and I will help you through it. You won't go through this alone."

Ray smiled weakly, not entirely taking comfort from that. He didn't want to work through it; he simply wanted to forget that it ever happened. He could still feel the rope burns on his body and could see the marks left on his wrists by how tightly bounded they had been. His smile flickered away as he looked to his bandaged hand, wiggling a few of his fingers.

"Terra… How long have I been away? Or out I guess- It doesn't- It doesn't feel like I've been asleep for a day. Either the drugs are so strong, or my body healed up fast. I doubt it's the latter. How long have I been out?"

"You were gone for about thirty hours," Terra spoke quietly, adjusting her arms around him slightly. "And you've been unconscious here for about two days…"

Ray blinked, feeling a cold chill spread over him.

 _'Thirty hours… Thirty hours, I spent thirty hours in that room… How did I manage that? I spent that much time tied up, I was all alone for that long- I can't believe that a whole 30 hours in that room fucking suffocating and losing my mind and thinking that no one was going to come for me and that I didn't matter and-'_

"Ray, Ray-" Terra's hand rested on his cheek, prompting him out of his thoughts. He noticed just how fast his breathing had become and how his body was slightly rocking. "Breathe, just relax, you're not there anymore. You're safe."

"I-I was gone that long," He whimpered. "T-Terra-"

"And now, you're here. Now you're here with us, and you're never going back there. What happened to you won't ever, ever happen again. I promise you, Ray."

"I'm here with you both…" Ray repeated softly. He shifted closer to her and winced at the dull pain he felt. Terra immediately pulled away, thinking that she caused him harm, but she seemed surprised when he pulled her in for a hug. He pressed his forehead against hers, taking comfort in her presence. "I m-missed you…"

"I missed you too, hotshot," Terra spoke quietly. She moved her head and gently pressed her lips against his forehead, giving him a gentle and comforting kiss. Ray let out a soft chuckle at the gesture.

He went to speak when Maya suddenly stirred. Ray couldn't help but smile as he gave her hand a gentle squeeze. Almost immediately, she jolted up in her seat and looked over to Ray, gasping when she saw that he was awake.

"Ray-!" She quickly stood and got on the bed, leaning over and giving him a hug. Ray held back a wince and just wrapped his other arm around her. He went to greet her when she pulled him in for a deep kiss. Ray's eyes slipped shut and he kissed her back just as hard until he had to gently push her away to catch his breath. She went back and hugged him, trembling.

Ray chuckled and rubbed soothing circles into her back.

"Man, if being bedridden like this would get me as many kisses from you two, maybe this won't be so bad."

"Don't play like that!" Maya pulled back. She glared at him through tears in her eyes, immediately wiping Ray's smile away. "You died- We lost you!"

"I-I'm sorry, Maya," He winced.

"We lost you for those moments- I never felt so-" Maya choked up and shut her eyes. Ray pulled her close and held her against him. She clung to him and he could feel tears deep through his thin hospital gown.

"It's okay Maya," Ray reassured her. "I-I know I was gone, but… I'm back now."

"We lost you," She whimpered, stabbing Ray's heart with each tearful word. "You died- You left us…"

"I know…" Ray held her tightly and looked over to Terra, extending his arm out. Immediately, she joined the hug and pulled the two of them gently into her arms. Ray, in between the two of them, felt their warmth and felt comforted by their presence. He kissed the top of Maya's head and leaned against Terra, shutting his eyes. "I left, but I promise, I won't leave either of you ever again- The day when I'm old and gray is when I'll kick the bucket, but any time soon… I won't let it happen. We have our whole lives ahead of us together, and I'll work hard to protect you all, I promise."

"Usually you're the damsel in distress, Ray," Terra mused quietly, causing Ray to grin. Despite how tired she sounded, he knew that she was smiling. "It's us who has to look out for you."

"Doesn't sound so bad, I love it when you two drag my sorry ass out of danger and go and break someone's legs. It's fun to see people underestimate you both; They learn real fast not to mess with you both," Ray's smile flickered away. He found that he couldn't bring himself to smile and act positively anymore. Looking between Maya and Terra, he found that tears were welling up in his eyes.

Ray had sworn that he wouldn't ever get to see them again, that he would die there and never be able to spend another day with them. The thought was terrifying that he wouldn't be able to live a life with the two of them by his side. While they kept him out of danger, they loved him with all their hearts, and Ray did too. He had never felt so attached to anyone in his life, and to imagine leaving the two of them far too soon terrified him.

 _'I would've left them… I can't believe I did, even if it was for a short while…'_ Ray trembled, sniffling quietly. _'To think I doubted them in there, to think I doubted, even for a few moments, that they didn't love or care for me… I'm a fucking idiot…'_

"I love you both so much," He whispered, allowing his tears to fall. "You're… Literally the best things to have ever happened to me… I-I don't deserve either of you, you both are way too good for me- Thank you for saving me…"

They both held onto Ray, offering him comfort as his body shook with his sobs that he was trying to fight back. With their warmth and soothing words, their whispered 'I love yous' and their soft kisses peppered to his face, it didn't take long for him to calm down. With them, he felt comfortable enough to fall asleep in their secure embrace. With him asleep, it didn't take long for Terra and Maya to follow suit.

Their long-time promise to protect and defend one another may have been made many years prior, but even as grown adults, the promise held true. They would continue to protect one another throughout the years, through hardships and challenges, their bonds would prevail and give them strength. Through their difficulties, they all kept a clear mind.

That is, until Ray finds himself captured yet again.

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 **Thank you for reading! I hope to get into the swing of writing again. I hope you all enjoyed it, reviews and criticism are immensely appreciated!**

 **~Z**


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